Pneumatic straw-stacker.



No. 758,606. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

J. A. WALSH & BRETNBY. PNEUMATIC STRAW STAGKBR.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 17, 1903. N0 MODEL. I

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P-ATENTEDAPR. 26, 1904. J. A. WALSH & B. BRBTNEY PNEUMATIC STRAW .STAUKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 17, 1903.

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No. 758,606. PATENTED APR. 26, 1 904. J. A. WALSH & E. BRETNBY. I PNBUMATIG- STRAW STAGKER..

APPLICATION FILED AUG- 17, 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

JAMES A. WALSH AND EUGENE BRETNEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. I

Patented April 26, 1904;.

PATENT OFFICE.

PNEUMATIC STRAW-STAGKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,606, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed August 1'7, 1903'. Serial No. 169,799. (No model.)

-currents emanating from the revolving mechanism and cleaning-fans embodied in such machines, its travel being at a pace to insure a thorough separation of the grain before the straw reaches the delivery end of the thresher. From this point it is desirable to discharge the straw at a distance from the thresher, for

which purpose what are commonly known as wind-smokers are employed. These stackers ordinarily employ large fans constructed at the rear of the thresher, which run at a high rate of speed and which utilize the air from the interior of the thresher for withdrawing the threshed straw and dust therefrom and discharging the same, by which operation the straw, &c., is drawn into the fan and comes in contact with the blades thereof before passing out through the conveying-ducts. Such method, as is well understood, disturbs the air circulation in the thresher, the high revolution of the stacker-fan creating a strong'intake current, which originates at a point in the thresher considerably in advance of the straw-delivery end thereof, and which current therefore hastens the travel of the straw over the delivery-point, causing considerable unthreshed straw which has not completed its-threshing journey to the end of the rakerfingers to be prematurely carried away, as

well as considerable loose grain which has not been separated from the straw, until it has nearly reached the ends of the rakers, thereby causing much waste of grain.

Our object is to provide means for discharging the threshed straw which will not disturb the air-currents of the thresher and which will not convey the straw away until it has finally completed its journey and traveled over I the ends of the rakers, and this is accomplished by blast mechanism supplied with air from the outside of the threshing-machine in the manner hereinafter explained. I A further object is to simplify and cheapen the stacker construction, dispensing with the ordinary large fan and chute leading therefrom and building our blast-creating mechanism in the original thresher-body without the necessity of additional framework, as now commonly employed. A further object is to provide a straw-discharging tube or duct placed on the thresher directly above the straw-delivery end into which the straw, dust, and chaff are carried directly from the thresher without passing I through a fan or primary duct.

A further object is to dispense with the overlapping leaved elbows employed in the material-discharge ducts, for which we employ a duct embodying a simple ring-joint controlled by a worm, by which such duct is capable of any desired angle of inclination vertically, which is perfectly air-tight and capable of maintaining a constant area, and which is self-sustaining at any angle by means of the worm-controlled ring-joint mentioned, thereby rendering unnecessary the employment of the ordinary braces, sheaves, cables, &c.

With the foregoing statements in view we will now describe our said invention in connection with the accompanying drawings,

which are made a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a central detail view of the rear end of a thresher, showing the positions occupied by our invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view on the dotted line 2.2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a horizontal sectional view showing the operative position of the fan-outletsi Fig. 4, a perspective view of the end of a thresher, showing the invention in operative position; Fig. 5,

a detail view showing the joint connecting the stump and the trunk or chute, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the stump and trunk portion of the conveying-duct is connected.

In the .construction illustrated we employ two comparatively small fans 10 and 11, placed on either side of the thresher, said fans being driven from a suitable source by a single shaft 12, which extends across the machine, preferably at a point in advance of the discharge end of the rakers. Leading from these fans, respectively, into the interior of the thresher are the air-dischargers 13 and 14., the open ends of which terminate somewhat below the strawrakers 15 and which are positioned slightly beyond the rakers, creating a blast passing up vertically near the raker ends at such a distance therefrom as to receive the straw discharged from such rakers. The blasts from these sources, together with the air-currents from the interior "of the thresher, passing through the material-discharge duct produce a blast of dense volume of sufficient velocity to efliciently eject the straw. Ve may also provide the inclined walls 17, which assist in directing the blasts from the dischargers 13 and 14 into the ingress-opening of the materialdischarger. By constructing the materialdischarge duct perfectly air-tight and producing a blast in the manner described back pressure of the blast is avoided, which latter condition is quite common in some constructions of stacker hereinbefore referred to by reason of inadequate air-blasts and by the escape of air through the joints of the leaved elbows employed. As will be readily understood, the chaff and dust blown from the space above and about the sieves 16 by the chaff-fan (in the direction indicated by the arrows) is drawn into the currents created by the fan-outlets and is conveyed away with the straw through the trunk or chute.

In our improved stacker we employ a suitably-constructed stump or base portion 20, adapted to be rotated by a suitable worm 21 and gear 22. Attached to this stump or base is the main trunk or chute 23, (telescopically operated in any desirable manner,) which base and trunk parts we secure together by providing the flange 25 on the base,which is bolted or otherwise secured to the loose ring 26, surrounding the trunk portion 23. Between these locking parts a sufficient space is provided to receive the gear-ring 27, which is rigidly secured to the trunk 23 by screws or otherwiseand which meshes with a worm 28, located and supported at any suitable point. By manipulating the worm 28, as will be readily understood, the gear-ring 27 is caused to rotate or swivel upon said base portion, carrying with it the trunk or chute 23 to which it is attached, the rotation of these parts ceasing at the moment the operation'of the Worm is stopped. We thus provide not only a perfectly air-tight connection between the base .and 'trunk portion, but also an eflicient and simple means for readily elevating and lowering the trunk or chute and sustaining the same at any desired elevation and by which said trunk portion can be rotated or swiveled in a vertical radius from its lowermost projected working position to its resting position on the thresher-roof, for,as will be readily seen, the form of joint employed will permit of the complete unobstructed rotation of such a tubular body when connected in the manner described. In the construction and .connection of the base portion and trunk, as shown, the area of the parts is maintained constantly under all variations of rotation of the trunk. i

In constructing a straw-stacking mechanism in the manner described a great saving in cost is obtained by dispensing with the usual straw chambers, hoppers, primary ducts, large fans and necessary supports therefor; the length of the driving belt, which usually runs from the cylinder-shaft, is materially reduced; the employment of comparatively small fans in the manner described requires but little power for operation; the use of ordinary idlers and gearing for the fans is dispensed with, and the fans are positioned at a point to avoid danger of breakage when the threshing-machine is hauled over uneven roadways, the low-down positions of the fans of ordinary construction rendering them liable to damage under such conditions.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of blast-producing mechanism embody- 7 ing an air-ductarranged to discharge substantially vertically within the main body of the separator and below and slightly to the rear of the discharge end of the raker-lingers and in line with the entrance to a materialconveying duct, and said material-conveying duct mounted on the top of the separator with its entrance directly above the discharge end of the raker-fingers, whereby the straw discharged from said raker-fingers will fall directly into the blast from said air-duct and be carried upwardly by said blastdirectly into said material-conveying duct, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of fans, and ducts leading from said fans into each side of the interior of the separator and arranged to direct an air-blast past the ends of the straw-rakers of the thresher and into a discharge-duct above said rakers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a threshing-machine, blast-creating mechanism embodying fans positioned in advance of the delivery end of the raker-fingers, and discharge-outlets leading from said fans into each side of the separator and terminating at a point beyond the said delivery end of the raker-fingers within the body of the separator-and in aline with the main dischargechute, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a threshing-machine,of apneumatic stacker embodying blast mechanism discharging substantially vertically to the material-conveying duct, said duct consisting of a rotary stump or base portion IIO , and a trunk or chute mounted to swivel upon lowered vertically.

5. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of blast-creating mechanism discharging into a duct comprising a stump or neck, and a main delivery trunk or chute mounted thereon by an annular connection or joint extending in a vertical plane, and means for swinging said trunk or chute in a vertical radius from its outer or working position to its reclfining or resting position on the thresherroo 6. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of a pneumatic stacker comprising a blast mechanism, anda duct having its stump or base portion and its main trunk orchute united by a substantially vertical annular joint.

7. In a pneumatic stacker, the combination, of the stump or base portion mounted to rotate on the top of the separator and the trunk or chute attached to said stump by a substantially vertical annular joint embodying a flange, a ring, and a gear-ring positioned between said fiange and ring, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a pneumatic stacker, the combination,

of the discharge-duct mounted on a rotary base by a substantially vertical annular joint composed of a flange, a ring and a gear-ring positioned therebetween, and means for engagingwith and operating said gear-ring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9.- The combination, with a threshing-machine,of blast-creating mechanism,a materialdischarge duct, and deflector-guides adjoining said discharge-duct in the upper part of the separator for directing the blast from said blast-creating mechanism to said dischargeduct, all substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with a threshing-machine, of blast-creating mechanism,a materialdischarger the base portion whereof is hori- Zontally rotatable, a trunk portion mounted to swivel in a substantially perpendicular plane upon said base portion, means for rotating said base portion, and means for swiveling said trunk portion, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this Pith day of August, A. D. 1903.

JAMES A. WALSH. [as] EUGENE BRETNEY. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

LEW WALLACE, J r., FRED HODGE. 

